FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Fayette County Schools will use $6.6 million from the state School Building Authority for reconfiguring and renovating schools.
The county is seeking $13.2 million from the state for the projects, splitting the money requests over two years. The state School Building Authority approved the funding at its meeting last week.
“We’re working on four different schools, and we would not have needed all of the funding all at once,” Fayette County Schools superintendent Terry George said.
The projects include reconfiguring Valley High School in Smithers into an institution for students between pre-K and eighth grade, renovating Oak Hill High School, reconfiguring Fayetteville High School into a pre-K through eighth-grade institution and renovating Midland Trail High School and New River.
George said two of the new schools are expected to open in August.
“We’re progressing very well. Weather’s been a little bit of a hindrance, but they have managed to work around it. They’re working extra hours and extra days on the days when the sun shines in,” he said.
Both schools are being built on the campus of Oak Hill High School with New River Intermediate School, New River 3-5, Fayette Institute of Technology, new Collins Middle School and Oak High School.
The plan for the school system is to reduce the number of schools from 18 institutions to 11 schools over two years.